


Halloween Night of '86

by Nearchild



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Halloween, M/M, Party, alcohol use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-09
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2019-01-31 05:35:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12675447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nearchild/pseuds/Nearchild
Summary: It was Halloween night of the party’s sophomore year. Usually they would have gone trick or treating and then just hung out in Mike’s dimly lit basement. With everyone huddled together in one massive blob watching scary movies. Will and Lucas’ screams would fill the room as everyone else just laughed how easily scared the two were; however, this year was going to be different for them.





	Halloween Night of '86

It was Halloween night of the party’s sophomore year. Usually they would have gone trick or treating and then just hung out in Mike’s dimly lit basement. With everyone huddled together in one massive blob watching scary movies. Will and Lucas’ screams would fill the room as everyone else just laughed how easily scared the two were; however, this year was going to be different for them.

Ever since El had been allowed to join everyone in school this year, she had gotten massively popular with the boys. Her and Mike had decided to be just friends that summer. She had looked at her life and decided what she needed wasn’t a boyfriend, but rather just friends. She had to figure out who she was outside of Hawkins Lab, and outside of the Upside Down before she could figure out who she was in a relationship.   
Her popularity and the allure of her being the “new kid on the block” had gotten her an invitation to a party, and since Max was gorgeous and fiery, and standing right next to El, she also got invited. They had promptly turned this invitation for two into an invitation for six through, what they called “just asking” but the rest of the party was convinced they threatened a kid. They could be quite persuasive together

Will had tried to get them all to turn down the invitation. He wasn’t a fan of crowds and knew that the people who made fun of him at school would also be there. Lucas and Dustin though had made a valid argument that they should at least try a party, and that free alcohol would be better than stealing Mrs. Wheeler’s secret wine stash. Also, Mike suggesting that they could go as Chris and Gordie from “Stand by Me” was a pretty good selling point. They saw the movie in theaters and both loved it, so it was a great costume idea.

After everyone had convinced Will to go and costumes were decided the next step was picking a designated driver which was simple. Max didn’t drink and was by far the best driver, so she was picked out naturally. When Halloween night came they had all agreed to get ready at Mike’s house for the party, his parents were there but they never much cared if a bunch of puberty ridden teenagers filled their house.

“OKAY!” Mike was bounding down the stairs of his house yelling. Will could see the smile across his face as he came down which made the whole ordeal of going to the party worth it to Will. He ran over to Will and slung his arm around him awkwardly. Mike had shot up in the last few years and still didn’t seem to have full control over all his limbs, everything he did just seemed kind of awkward. Will loved it. “How do I look Gordie?” 

Will looked the lanky boy up and down. He had to admit the Chris costume was pretty on point. Mike had put together a plain white t--shirt with ripped jeans, which by itself wasn’t special it just looked like normal clothes, but the sleeves was rolled up around a box of what Will assumed was Nancy’s cigarettes. Pair that with Wills striped Gordie shirt and washed out jeans and they made for a pretty good looking pair of explorers.

“You look awesome, Mike. Like straight out of a Stephen King story.” Mike’s smile spread till he was in full frog smile mode, he leaned down and wrapped Will into a quick hug.

“Thanks, and thanks for agreeing to come. I know you don’t really want to. But it will be fun, I promise. Just us, going to a party, acting like normal teenagers for once.” Mike’s smile had faded a little, it was still present though, lingering behind his words, giving Will a reassuring feeling that made his heart skip a beat. Ever since Mike and El broke up there had been this unspoken thing between Will and Mike, like the first half of a teen Rom-Com. Even Will hadn’t been so oblivious to notice the stolen glances and longing looks.

Will had come out to his friends and family in freshman year, no one outside his small group knew he was gay for sure. didn’t stop them from speculating though; however, Mike’s sexuality was more up in the air.   
He had kind of told Will he liked him, and everyone could see the electricity between them, but nothing ever came from it. They would cuddle when they watched movies, and seek comfort in each other but that was as far as they got. The party had kind of come to accept it and let the two take things at their own pace, which, if Will was being honest, was actually just Mikes pace.

“Anything for you.” Will blushed, “And for everyone else of course” This gave Mike a devilish grin.

“Of course...” His grin spread as he took a quick pause, “EVERY-one.” The extra annunciation on every caused them both to giggle, and it wasn’t until El spoke up that they realized they’d been so entranced in   
conversation that everyone was staring at them.

“Are you two done...uh,” she looked around at everyone to help provide her with the word she needed. Lucas grinned cause he had the word and was very please with himself that he could provide it.

“Fllllirting.” He added a little extra something to the word, really making it clear that he was lightly teasing his two friends.

“Yeah, flirting. If you two are finally done flirting can we get on the road? Max spent an hour on her hair and it would be a real shame if none of those mouth breathers could see her and Lucas together.” It was almost strange how fast El had gotten used to being in high school. She was still the same vindictive El with a strong sense of justice, but she had become way better at not needing her powers to hurt people. Now she just needed a few choice words, or a small little set-up to grind the gears of the people she didn’t like.

“Oh! Will you two shut up. Yes, we are done, it’s not my fault we are running late too. Max took an hour getting her hair to look like Molly Ringwald’s, or that Dustin took two hours trying to look like Risky Business.” Mike giggled as Max floofed her hair and Dusting just ran a hand through his.

“Screw you man! We look good, and you can’t convince me any different.” Dustin struck a pose to truly over emphasize his statement.

“Correction, Max looks good. You look like someone lowered your hair on you like Darth Vader’s helmet.” Lucas put his arm around Max, his purple Prince suit shining in the light. as the group burst out laughing and Dustin flipped him off. 

“Okay, Okay boys. It is time to go.” Max hurried everyone out the door and into the car that she was borrowing from her parents. It was only supposed to seat 5 so Will had to sit on Mike’s lap. “Everyone ready?” Max asked, but didn’t wait for answer before she put the car in reverse and sped out of the drive way.

At the party everyone kind of split up. El and She-Ra costume split off to the dance floor where she was quickly surrounded by a bunch of boys she showed no interest in. Dustin followed her to keep her company   
while she dance so she wouldn’t feel uncomfortable by herself. Max and Lucas split off to go play beer pong, the two of them were a team to be reckoned with, the party had learned that one night when they had practiced with water and the two of them never lost a game.

Will and Mike went over to get a drink. Mike grabbed a beer and Will grabbed whatever juice the party had, he knew it had alcohol, but he didn’t much care what if it would help him deal with the crowd. It wasn’t until the 5’3”, 95-pound boy had drunk 3 cups that Mike realized that the juice was getting Will super drunk.

“He-hey Mike.” Will managed to get out through his hiccups. “We should, we should go,” Another hiccup, “dance.” He leaned on Mike for support as he grabbed his arm and began walking him towards El and Dustin who hadn’t left the dance floor in the 30 minutes they’d all gotten there.

“Are you sure buddy? This isn’t really your scene.” Mike, who was still on his first beer, couldn’t believe that little William Byers was dragging him out to dance to “Party All the Time”. 

“Oh, cooome on, Mikey!!! It’s a party! Even I can enjoy shitty music as long as I am dancing.” He continued to pull Mike towards the sea of drunken teenagers who were dancing in the middle of the hosts living room. 

They danced for what seemed like hours. The two of them enthralled completely in each other and no one else, not even El or Dustin seemed to be able to bring their attention away from each other. Occasionally Will would leave to get a drink and Mike would follow. Eventually Will tripped over the stairs, spilling his drink on some poor girl, and Mike decided it was time to call it a night. 

“Awwww, come on Mikey!! I said I was sorry.” Even drunk Will never slurred his words, the kid’s drunk speak was something to be admired.

“Nah, let’s go find Max and Lucas and get everyone home. We have been here for almost 2 and half hours anyway.” Mike was pushing Will towards the door leading to the basement. Dustin and El had seen the whole spilling incident and knew that it was best to follow Mike and keep drunk Will safe. “Okay man, one step at a time here we g-”

“I can do it Mike! I don’t need your coddling.” Will pushed himself off Mike and quickly hurried down the stairs. Mike gaped how quickly he was moving at first but followed him as soon as he saw him almost fall down. They were almost to the bottom when two boys jumped out at Will. He jumped back quickly and latched his hand onto mikes as he screamed. 

“HOLY CRAP!” He squeezed Mike’s hand tightly , and did what he always did when he was startled, almost swear. “YOU FRICKIN’ PRICKS!”

“Those are some colorful words there Byer’s. You are really hitting us where it hurts.” The boy who Mike could only assume was Troy from the sound of his voice, his face hidden by a mask. “And aww look at you holding your boyfriends hand.” Will and Mike noticed everyone begin to glare at them. Will tried to pull his hand away, but Mike tightened his grip, it was time. “HEY EVERYONE, LOOK AT THE LITTLE FA-” He was cut off by quick punch from Max right to his face.

“Shut the fuck up Troy. I will turn your ass to grass if you keep fucking with my friends.” Max pushed him away from Will and Mike to give them space. “And if anyone else has a problem with my friends either me, or her,” She gestured to El, “will give you a whole lot worse to worry about than two boys holding hands. And I hope for your guys sake that you only have to deal with me, ‘cause she is a whole lot scarier.” With that she grabbed Lucas’ hand and shuffled everyone out. 

Will was still startled by everything that had just happened, all he really knew was how right Mike’s hand felt in his. The warmth and comfort that radiated throughout his whole body just from the small amount of contact. He held it all the way until they reached Max’s car. Where after being promptly sat in Mike’s lap he leaned in and whispered something. Not loud enough for Dustin to hear them from the middle seat, or Lucas to hear them from shotgun, just something for the two of them.

“Thank you” Will placed a chaste kiss on Mike’s lips, he was sure that he tasted like fruity alcohol and smelled like rum, but he didn’t much care. He just felt safe in this moment and decided to go for it. It was Will’s second kiss, first with a boy, and first since he got out of the first grade. He pulled away after just a few seconds, but a few seconds was all it took for his breath to be taken away. It wasn’t taken away by the terrible smell of beer on Mike’s breath, or the smell of liquor that was filling the whole car. It was from the feeling of Mike’s chapped lips on his own. The grin that Will could feel Mike’s lips turn too after just a few seconds. His breath was taken away by everything Mike did.

“UGH… get a room you two! Max can you drive faster before they start making out right next to us.” Dustin made a little face which got him a look from El, telling him to leave the two boys alone.

“Max can you drive a little slower so that Will and I can make out right next to Dustin.”

“Is that what we are doing? Making out in a car filled with people?” Will was still drunk, he knew it now too, and the mix of alcohol and euphoric feeling of kissing Mike was making him bolder than usual.

“Only if you want to, don’t wanna go to fast for you.”

“Well damn Mikey, if I had known we were going at my pace this would’ve happened months ago.”

“Then let’s get to it.” Mike smiled and leaned in, placing Will’s second kiss of the night on his lips. They both ignored Dustin’s groans as they drove towards Mike’s house. To enthralled in each other to notice when they pulled in.


End file.
